Modern telecommunication systems utilize a number of materials and mediums to transmit information. Recently, cables, such as fiber optic cables, have become more popular in the communication industry and have begun to replace electrical wires. Fiber optic cables include transparent optical fibers made of glass or plastic and are capable of transmitting voice, video, and data. Compared to electrical wires, fiber optic cables permit signals to travel longer distances with less loss and less electromagnetic interference.
One type of fiber optic cable used to transmit data across aerial transmission lines is all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) cables. Such cables typically have a strong non-metallic sheath that supports the optical fibers making up the cable. ADSS cables may also have a reinforcing strand at its core. All-dielectric cable has the advantage that it can be used in close proximity to electrical power lines, whereas conventional communication cables are required to be run in a separate zone, usually at least forty inches below the power cables and above ground neutral. Other types of fiber optic cable lines include, encased with ground wire, encased within phase conductor, and wrapped around phase conductor or ground wire cables.
Fiber optic cable is typically installed on aerial transmission routes in long lengths so as to minimize the number of splices, each of which degrades optical signals and is expensive. Because of certain problems related with splicing, such as increased noise, it is generally more desirable to overbuild for the amount of cable and store the cable as opposed to splicing cable in the future. To allow for rerouting, due to pole movement and for repairs, slack is provided in the form of surplus lengths of cable at intervals along the route. With increased storage intervals, it is less probable that lengths of cable must be rehung if rerouting is necessary. Storing surplus cable poses problems as optical cable has a minimum bend radius and is vulnerable to damage (fiber breakage) from bending and twisting, if the minimum radius is exceed.